1949 Geneva vs 1968 Vienna Convention: Which IDP Do You Need?
The difference between the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention International Driving Permits, and which one each country recognises.
The 1949 Geneva Convention IDP
The 1949 Geneva Convention is the most widely recognised standard, accepted in 150+ countries including the United States, Japan, Australia, Thailand and most of Asia.
Most travellers from the US, Canada and the UK use the 1949 Geneva format.
The 1968 Vienna Convention IDP
The 1968 Vienna Convention modernised the standard and is used across much of Europe, Brazil, Argentina and the Gulf states.
Some countries are party to both conventions; where a country recognises both, either permit is accepted.
Which one should you get?
You do not need to choose manually — when you select your destination during the application, your permit is issued in the convention format that destination recognises.
If you are visiting multiple countries, an IDP covering the Geneva format provides the broadest coverage.
Validity: 1 year vs up to 3 years
The two conventions carry different validity windows, which is one of the most practical differences for travellers. A 1949 Geneva-format permit is valid for one year from its issue date. A 1968 Vienna-format permit can be valid for up to three years, or until your national licence expires — whichever comes first.
The clock starts on the issue date, not on the day you first arrive, so order close to your departure to get the most usable time. For a frequent traveller heading to Vienna-Convention countries, the longer validity is the better value; for a single trip to a Geneva-Convention country such as Japan or the United States, the one-year format is all you need.
Countries that accept only one convention
Most destinations travellers visit recognise at least one convention, and many honour both. But a handful accept only one, and carrying the wrong format there means you effectively have no valid translation. Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore recognise only the 1949 Geneva format and will not accept a 1968 Vienna permit. Vietnam is the reverse — it recognises the 1968 Vienna Convention, so a Geneva-format permit (common for US and Australian drivers) is not the one it looks for.
This is exactly why the destination you enter during the application matters: the booklet is prepared in the format that country recognises, so you are not left holding the wrong standard at the rental counter or a police check.
What happens if you carry the wrong format
If you arrive in a country that only recognises the other convention, a rental desk can refuse the car, police can treat you as driving without a recognised translation, and — most costly — your rental insurance may not respond after an accident. None of these are worth risking to save a few minutes of checking.
Confirm your destination's convention before you travel (our per-country pages state it plainly), and make sure the permit you carry matches it.
FAQ
Daniel leads the country research behind every International Driving Permit guide on this site. He has spent the past six years documenting cross-border driving requirements — which destinations follow the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, which apply the 1968 Vienna Convention, and what that means in practice at a rental counter or a police checkpoint.
Reviewed by Sofia LindqvistOur editorial policy →Your permit is minutes away
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